12 Days of Christmas + Instagram

You can now see photos of our textile work on Instagram: @leam.embroiderers.guild

On the subject of Christmas celebrations, here is a selection of members' pieces submitted for our 'Twelve Days of Christmas' challenge.  Over £25 was raised for charity by members voting for their favourite piece. (The winner was Gill's book of .... The Twelve Days of Christmas.)

Christmas Tree Festival, St Mary's Warwick

We are delighted to have been able to take part in the 2017 Christmas Tree Festival at the Collegiate Church of St Mary's, Warwick.  Launched at the Victorian Evening on 30th November, the Festival will run until 10th December.  There are still events going on, and around 50 trees decorated by different organisations on display, so it's well worth a visit.  

Here are a couple of photos of 'our' tree, adorned with the lovely baubles handmade by Leamington & District members, including some by the JETS.

JETS' Suffolk Puffs

The girls had previously marbled a cotton bag in their September session using the shaving foam method that Sally showed us.

This month they learned how to make Suffolk puffs (also known as yo yo's). It proved a little tricky for small fingers, but they persevered and each managed to make several which could then be added to their own bags. The puffs needed ironing flat first.

They will be finished off at home, with the panel being stitched onto the back of the bag.  We will take some photos at our January session to show them off to everyone.

So now each member of the group has a special bag to carry their JETs work book in.

The girls decided that Suffolk puffs are a lot like Marmite - you love them or hate them!!

A successful day at Compton Verney Textile Fair

We were delighted to find on arrival at Compton Verney that we had been given a prominent spot in the lovely Adam Hall. Our table, designed by Gill and Sue, had a tiered centrepiece topped by our members' sparkly, shiny Christmas baubles, which were much admired throughout the day.

The Branch book was on display and also the recently completed travelling books. The books were supplemented by a selection of other small items by Sue, Margherita and Janet.

Ann D, Margherita, Anna and Gill were kept busy throughout the day talking to interested visitors, and handed out lot of leaflets (prepared by Sally) to people enquiring about becoming branch members.  A successful day!

Design inspiration and Angie Hughes: The Trees Leaves

Jayne Emerson's talk on how she came by her unusual job took us on a whirlwind tour through her sources of inspiration and how she finds ideas literally everywhere.  Jayne designs and makes fabric swatches for use in the fashion and home furnishing industries - not many people knew such a job existed!  She brought along a case full of swatches for us to look through and drool over, together with some of her more recent framed work. Jayne uses an embellishing machine with a wide range of materials to create texture and effects, bringing home to us what a fantastically useful tool it can be!

Angie Hughes: "The Trees Leaves"

The following day, we were fortunate enough to enjoy Angie Hughes' new workshop.  Based on Alison Holt's technique* of stitching a tree shape "in space", i.e. across a hole cut in a piece of fabric (scary? definitely!), this was our first task of the day - challenging even to experienced machine stitchers.

We did all manage to make a tree successfully, which we then used to create a stamp by impressing it into a Heat 'n' Form block.  

  

Stamps can also be created simply with leaves, especially those with strong veins, which can look remarkably tree-like.

We had a lot of fun creating effects with different paints, foils and stencils 

... before going on to stitch into our printed shapes. Here's one of Angie's lovely samples to give the idea:

Angie stressed that she has been making adjustments to the workshop as new developments and ideas present themselves, and even had a little lightbulb moment when we were gathered round discussing the numerous techniques included in the workshop.

As always, Angie is extremely generous with her experience, guidance and materials.  We had a hugely enjoyable day, and we always learn so much from her.  

* Machine Embroidered Woodlands, Alison Holt

Annual Textile Fair at Compton Verney - 4th November

This event has become extremely popular, and this year Leamington Embroiderers' Guild will have work on display. Do try and pay a visit - there are always lovely things for sale.

November talk: "My Life in Textiles" by Jayne Emerson

Visitors welcome - Friday 3rd November

Jayne trained at Loughborough College of Art, graduating with a First Class Honours degree in Multi Media Textiles, and went on to complete her Masters in Fashion Textiles at Central St Martins.  Since then her work has taken a wide-ranging path that has allowed her to express her creativity from craft through to couture.

For the past 18 years Jayne has created innovative fabric samples that explore the boundaries of modern embroidery, patchwork, fabric manipulation and needle felting.  Her samples have sold to a wide range of clients that include Chanel, Calvin Klein, Nina Ricci, Louis Vuitton, Dior and Balenciaga, as well as John Lewis Home, Top Shop, M&S and Boden.

Jayne is the author of five books and also taught Kirstie Allsopp how to needle felt on her show, Kirstie's Handmade Britain, as well as being one of her craft experts at her annual Handmade Fairs.

Jayne will be the tutor for our next Summer School in 2018: Creating Fabric Recipes for Collage.

Members' work

Here is a round-up of some recent work by Leamington branch members:

Firstly, the JETS entry for West Midlands Regional Day

At their recent sessions the JETS made pieces of wool felt, on which they appliquéd fish/shell motifs cut out from additional felt pieces, then they embellished them with beads. Each JET who entered received a certificate, and there was a goody bag with lots of useful materials for the group. 

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Sue Cooke has kindly allowed us to show a photo of the piece she has submitted for the Guild's Page 17 exhibition:

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

The book is set in the Gothic quarter of Barcelona and starts in 1947, during Franco's dictatorship. Sue has used several techniques in her piece: the background is painted and leather book shapes applied; canvas work and leather are used for the library of books; the figure and the building have been machine embroidered on transparent fabric.

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Sue Frances was inspired by the mini workshop after the AGM in September to make a piece in the style of Gilda Baron:

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And if you are looking for inspiration for the branch Christmas competition, 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' (at the Christmas lunch on 2nd December), here are a few pages created by members of the Travelling Books Group:

Jean Myatt

Amanda Griffiths

Fiona Metcalfe

It's great to be able to post these lovely images, so do keep them coming, ladies!

Stevie Walker workshop, "Quilty Painty Landscapes/Townscapes"

Following on from a packed talk, "Patterns of the Earth", in which Stevie illustrated the influences, especially the area around her home, that had inspired her work over a number of years, we enjoyed a thoroughly absorbing workshop to make our own small stitched landscape or townscape.

For the purposes of saving time over the inevitable indecision of which picture to choose, quite a few of us elected to use one of Stevie's delightful templates to work with. Braver members had their own images to hand, and of course, there's plenty of scope for future pieces.  

The outline was transferred to fabric by machine stitch, then painted with acrylic inks, which was a lot of fun ....  

Some hand stitching rounded the day off nicely.  Here are a few pieces that are on their way ...

 

"Patterns of the Earth: My Work & Inspiration", Stevie Walker

A quick reminder that our talk tomorrow, Friday 6th is by Stevie Walker,

Patterns of the Earth: My Work and Inspiration

Stevie is a textile artist, craftsperson and tutor.  She loves printing, machine embroidery, creative stitch, felt and experimenting with all kinds of painting and drawing media.

It promises to be an interesting evening.  Visitors are always very welcome to come along.  (Please see links on the right for where we meet.)

Branch AGM is on Saturday, 23rd September

There will be coffee & biscuits at 10.30 before the morning's business starts at 11.00 am.

We hope as many members as possible will come along to make it an interesting and lively meeting, and join in a bring-and-share lunch afterwards.

Visitors are welcome to join us for the afternoon workshop, when we will have a couple of short demonstrations on hand stitch techniques that can be used to continue the ongoing 'Seasons' project, or as a stand-alone sampling session.  Suitable for all levels, from beginners to the more experienced.

There is no charge for the day.

This is the recommended requirements lists if you wish to take part:

·       General sewing kit, threads, hoop, scissors, needles

·       ‘Seasons’ work prepared to date

·       A4 piece of backing fabric – open weave

·       A4 piece of chiffon or organza in a light colour

·       Fabric to back your book apertures

Please note that road re-surfacing work is due to be carried out on St Mary's Road, starting Sunday 17th September and due to finish Monday 25th September. 




We have been advised that the re-surfacing site extends from the junction at Radford Road to the junction of Caswell Road.   Access to the church will be available from one end of St. Mary’s Road or the other. A diversion will be signed. Please be aware of temporary road surfaces and raised ironwork and drive slowly.

Summer School with Fay Maxwell to make a slashed bag

Day 1

We started by delving into our stashes of fabric - we were told: don't be too selective, just pile on the layers of offcuts and remnants, using lots of colour.  It was great fun!!

Then we pinned on the top fabric, threaded up sewing machines and went for the curvy lines, spirals and grids ....

We were making good progress by lunchtime, and in the afternoon, we completed the stitching and started slashing - cutting channels between the rows, taking care not to cut through the bottom fabric layer.  This was much more difficult than anyone anticipated, and hard on the fingers!

Evening - homework! We were to finish the slashing, then wash the whole piece and BASH it hard against a brick wall (careful not to wake the neighbours!).

Day 2

The next step was to cut and fold back the layers in each grid square or diamond, and hand stitch to hold them in place.  This was surprisingly time consuming.

With all that completed, we could then start to line the bag.  Fay had a good method for doing this, which would ensure that all the seams were neatly enclosed, but it took some getting the head around - origami but not for beginners!  n.b. Don't forget to insert the magnetic fastener before making up.

The end result : A stunning and original evening bag!